Broken Frontier

BF introduces FRAGGLE ROCK WEEK!

Every day this week, BF will be talking with creators, artists and writers involved in bringing Fraggle Rock to comics about their favorite Henson moments and their experience with the Fraggles and Archaia, all gearing up to this month's release of Fraggle Rock #1.

Today BF chats with Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots), artist and writer of one of the two back-up tales in Fraggle Rock #1.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What is your first or fondest memory of Jim Henson and his creatures?

JEFFREY BROWN: Growing up, watching The Muppet Show was family TV night. We would have popcorn and my brothers and I would all gather around to watch. The shivers that went up my spine at the start of the show were rivaled only by the 20th Century Fox fanfare before the Star Wars films. Watching the Muppets was a whole experience, not just a TV show.

BF: This deal between Archaia and The Jim Henson Company is a deal of pure fantasy and creativity. The creatures of Henson always had the highest appeal to the fantasy of adults and children alike and to have that turned into comics is something extraordinary. How do you perceive this collaboration?

JB: I perceive it as about time... although Boom! [Studios] is already putting out Muppet and Farscape comics, the Henson properties finding new life with Archaia are long overdue. The Fraggles are an obvious one, but Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal are two of my favorite fantasy films, and to have Brian Froud working with Archaia on them makes it even better.

BF: From all the Henson characters, which is your favorite?

JB: That's a hard question to answer! I guess I would say Beaker, followed closely by Animal. I guess I'm partial to the less verbal characters.

BF: Same here! The magic of Henson and his amazing characters triggered an instant love. To me that is! How you are planning to tackle that magic on paper.

JB: With a lot of love and nostalgia.

BF: Can you tell me something more about the adventures you are planning in Fraggle Rock #1?

JB: It’s not a Doozer-centric story, but I did manage to fit Cotterpin in for my story. Drawing Red running around was also a lot of fun. My story is pretty short, so I think that’s as much as I should give away for now...

BF: With all the different groups like the Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs and fan favorite characters Gobo, Mokey, Red, Wembley and Boober, what is the biggest challenge in getting the characters in a comic, like Fraggle Rock #1?

JB: I must say, drawing Fraggle noses is more difficult than I would've thought.

Fraggle Rock #1 goes on sale in April 2010 with the Fraggle Rock/Mouse Guard Flip Book out on May 1, 2010.